MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday called for stronger safeguards for victims and taxpayers as the Senate moves to establish clearer rules on liability and compensation for nuclear energy damage.
Cayetano signed with reservation the committee report on Senate Bill 1206, or the proposed Philippine Nuclear Liability Act, supporting the measure in principle while proposing amendments to address gaps in its current form.
The bill seeks to modernize the country's outdated nuclear liability framework under Republic Act (RA) 5207 and align it with international conventions. It covers compensation for death or personal injury, property damage, certain economic losses, environmental restoration, and other consequences of a nuclear incident.
Cayetano's legislative review flagged provisions that could create "potentially substantial taxpayer exposure without a definite funding mechanism."
It also called for clearer safeguards on operator qualifications, liability limits, and what constitutes "adequate compensation" for victims.
One provision allows the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM) to lower an operator's liability depending on the risks involved.
His support for the Nuclear Liability Act builds on his earlier push to harness the benefits of nuclear technology while strengthening the safeguards governing its use.
"Across the globe, nuclear energy has been used for peaceful and beneficial applications contributing to sectors such as medicine, agriculture, industry, and energy production," Cayetano said during his sponsorship.
